English · Word Candidate

masterpiece

/ˈmæstɚˌpis/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: masterpieces

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.

Noun

Examples

The design, when finally developed, was a slight disappointment to Monsieur Deplis, who had suspected Icarus of being a fortress taken by Wallenstein in the Thirty Years' War, but he was more than satisfied with the execution of the work, which was acclaimed by all who had the privilege of seeing it

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship.

Noun

Examples

Masterpieces are not completed, they are abandoned.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “masterpiece” mean?

A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.

Is “masterpiece” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.